Carol Espy-Wilson
Growing up African American, low-income, in the South, and in the 1960s, I had to overcome numerous obstacles to reach where I am today. I was blessed with a mother who loved and sacrificed for her children, and three older brothers who set a great example for me in terms of hard work, educational achievement, and breaking barriers. Although I was almost always the only African American and one of few women in most of my classes at Stanford and MIT, I never wasted time doubting my abilities. I remained focused and put in the time needed to excel. I hope to inspire others, especially Black women, to believe in themselves and break more barriers.
Professor
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
A. James Clark School of Engineering
Carol Espy-Wilson received her B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University. She received her M.S., E.E., and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from MIT. She is the first African American woman to get a Ph.D. in E.E. from MIT. She became the first African American faculty to have tenure in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Maryland when she was hired in 2001, and she also became the first African American full professor in ECE in 2007. She has received many honors and awards including being a fellow of the Acoustical Society of America and the International Speech Communication Association, receiving a Harvard Radcliffe Fellow Award in 2008, a Clare Boothe Luce Professorship from 1990-1995, a Distinguished Scholar Teacher Award at the University of Maryland in 2012, and was an ADVANCE Professor in 2011.